Roundup: Rising Mississippi River poses threat to La. oyster trade … New Orleans, Lafayette firms selected to promote seafood industry

Bitter harvest: The opening of the Bonnet Carré spillway on Monday might threaten oyster fields that largely escaped damage from last year’s oil spill, according to spokesmen for Louisiana’s oyster fishermen. The spillway diverts river water to brackish Lake Pontchartrain, and from there it flows east into the fertile fishing and oyster grounds of Lake Borgne and the Mississippi Sound. The corps is also considering opening the Morganza Spillway, about 35 miles northwest of Baton Rouge. Image makers: A group that includes GCR & Associates of New Orleans and the Graham Group of Lafayette has been selected to lead a national advertising campaign for Louisiana seafood. The Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board selected the consortium, which also includes The Food Group in New York, to handle the $15 million seafood promotion contract. The contract is financed by a grant from BP. “We know that the image of Louisiana seafood was significantly damaged by the Gulf oil spill disaster, and we are thankful that BP provided us with the necessary funding to begin to rebuild our brand,” says Harlon Pearce, chairman of the seafood board.